Rolling-mill.



Pam@ 3fm. 1, 1918.

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W. ,L HANIPWN L W. H. E8

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INVENTQHS.

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MAY 29,191?.

FILED RQLUNG MIU.. lAPPLifamoxa mm my 29. 19H'.

.mama Jan. 1, 1918. l

3 SHEETS-.SHEET 3| aNvmT'onS.

narlly comprises and the upper roughing 1S then transferred to the STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM J'. HAMPTON, 0F PITTSBURGH, AND WILLIAM H. RITTS, 0F ETNA, PENNSYL- VANIA, ASSIGNGRS TO SPANG, CHALFANT AND CO., INCORPORATED, OF PITTS-4 atmen, PENNSYLVANIA, A

CORPORATION 0F PENNSYLVANIA.

ROLLING-MILL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

(Original application led December 18, 1916, Serial No. 137.491. Divided and this application led Iay 29,

1917. Serial No. 171,676.

To all whom z't may concern.'

Be it known that we, WILLIAM J. HAMP- 'roN and WILLIAM H. Rrrrs, citizens of the United States, and residents of Pittsburgh and Etna, respectively, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Rolling-Mills; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

ur invention pertains to rolling mills, that is, to mills comprising a plurality of rolls through which a billet of steel is passed successivey, thereby to form said billet into an elongated plate or sheet. i

This application is a division of our copending application, Serial Number 137,491, filed December 18, 1916, for improvements in rolling mills.

Rolling mills of the kind referred to, as now in use, generally consist of a plurality of sets of rolls, there being usually three of such sets, generally known as the roughing rolls, the strand rolls, and the finishing rolls. T he set of roughing rolls ordithree rolls disposed one above the other, these rolls usually having a lurality of passes arranged one beside the other. In some instances, the strand rolls have two or four passes, one above the other. In other instances, the strand rolls have an odd number of passes, depending upon the ultimate direction which it is desired that the lbillet shall take. Usually, the billet is rst carried through the pass betweenthe bottom roughing roll and the center roughing rolland is then carried back through the pass between the center roughing roll roll; it is then carried back through a pass, arranged beside the first pass, between the bottom roughing roll and the center roughing roll, and then back through a similar pass between the center roughing roll and the top roughing roll. The four passes between the roughing rolls may be sufiicient; but sometimes -a billet may go through six passes of these rolls. From the roughing rolls the partly rolled plate is transferred to the strand rolls; and it is carried to and fro between these rolls, in the same way as in the case of the roughing rolls. `Tlie nearly finished plate finishing rolls,

vto

.into a position through which it is passed once, and then carrled on to a suitable shearing device or the like.

It is an object of the present invention improver generally upon rolling` mills broadly of the type referred to above.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved means for transferrmg the billet from a position in 'which it has Just gone through an upper pass of the rolls from which it may go through a lower pass of the rolls.

It is a still further object of the invention generally to provide improved means for transferring the billet from the upper passes of any one set of rolls to a lower pass of the same and for transferring it from one set of rolls to another.

And other and further objects of the in- .vention will appear from the following specification taken in connection withthe claims annexed thereto.

A rolling mill constructed in. accordance with our invention is described, by way .of example, in the following specification and is shown in the accompanying drawings. It is especially to be understood, however, that the invention may be embodied in other forms, and that changes may be made in the form described and shown, without exceeding the scope thereof, as defined in the appended claims.

In' the drawings:

Figure l is a plan of a rolling mill constructed in accordance with our invention;

Fig. 2 is a partial section, on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, looking` in the direction of the arrows;

ig 3 is a partial section, on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 4, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is 'a partial transverse section, on an enlarged scale, taken on the lines 4-4 of Patented Jan. 1, 1918. Y

Figs. 1 and 3, looking in the direction of-v parts throughout the following specification and the several figures of the accompanying drawing.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 1, 2A

and 5, A indicates the roughing rolls, supported in the ordinary bearings, and rotated in the usual manner. In the embodiment of our invention now being described, there are three of these roughing rolls, A", A2 and A3, respectively. These rolls are formed with three sets ofpasses, which are indicated on the drawings as a, l), and c, each set comprising an upper pass` and a lower pass. The upper pass c is more constricted than the lower pass c, which latter, in turn, is more constricted than the upper pass b The passes become, in turn, less constricted, until the lower pass a is reached, which is the least constricted of all. It will be seen that as a billet is carried forward through the lower pass a, backward through the upper pass a, forward through the lower pass Z2, backward through the upper pass b, forward through the lower pass c, and backward through the upper pass c, it will be rolled out to a lesser` tliickness at each pass. Upon leaving the roiujgliing rolls, the partly rolled plate is transferred to the strand rolls B. These strand rolls B comprise three rolls B', B2, and B3. In the embodiment now being described the strand rolls are formed with two sets of passes, (Z and e, each set comprising an upper and a lower pass. The upper pass Z is more constricted than the lower pass d; but the passes c are identical with the passes d, so as to permit the passes e to lbe used when therolls are worn at the passes d. rhe passage of the partly finished plate forward through ine lower pass c?, and backward"through the upper pass (Z, further elongatesthe plate and further reduces its thickness. The plate is then transferred to the finishing rolls... which consist of a pair of rolls C disposed one above the otherY tbe plate simply passing forward between these rolls.

At the frontlside of the machine,-2'. at the side from which the billet first enters the rolls,-a plurality of feed rolls 10 are mounted upon a suitable supporting structure. These rolls are continuously rotated by a suitable meA "ir and gearing, indicated at 11, such as those heretofore in use in mills y of this character'. The billet f is removed from the furnace and placed upon the rotating rolls 10, which carry it forward to thev lower pass a of the roughing rolls A, the billet being thus seized between the roughing rolls and A2, and carried through the "a me, thereby making its first pass.

On the rearward side of the machine there are provided three for arding rolls 12, 13 and 14 respectively (Fig. 2), which rotate in the same direction as the rolls 10. The roll 12 is placed on a higher plane than the roughing roll A2, the roll 18 being likewise placed on a higher plane than the roll 12, anal the roll 14 being placed on a higher plane than the roll 13. Thus the rolis 12, 13 and 14:,

together with inclined intermediate shelves 122 and 13a, placed between them, form an inclined guide, up which the billet is carried after passing between the roughing rolls A and A2. Beyond the forwarding rolls 12, 13 and 14 are placed three returning rolls 15, 16 and 17 respectively, which are rotated in the opposite direction to that of the forwarding rolls. The rolls 15, 16 and 17 are arranged in the same horizontal plane with each other; and a continuation of this plane is formed by a table 18 which has adjustably mounted thereon a support 19 for a spring buffer 20. Placed above the forwarding rolls 12 and 13 are two further returning rolls 21 and 22. The returning rolls 21 and 22 rotate in the same direction as the returning rolls 15,16 and 17,but are placed upon a higher plane than these last. A shelf 23 is disposed between the returning rolls 21 and 22; and a guide roll 21 is placed immediately in front of the roll 21. The returning rolls 21 and 22, the shelf 23, and the guide roll 24, are all mounted upon a standard 25 suitably supported from the main structure.

After the billet f makes its first pass,.

through the lower pass a between the roughing rolls its front end is carried onto the forwarding roll 12.I and thence over the shelf 12, onto the forwarding roll 123. These rolls` with the forwarding roll 14. carry thel billet forward in an upwardly inclineddireetion. Thus the billet will reach a position such as that indicated in full lines in Fig. 2. After the billet has been moved farther from the position shown in Fig. 2, its uppermost end will overbalance its lowermost end. permitting its uppermost end to fall upon the returning rolls 15, 16 and 17. The momentum of the billet will carry it forward until it strikes the resilient buer 20, which will give the billet an impulse in the return direction. The returning rolls 15, 16 and 17, rotating in a direction opposite to that of the forwarding rolls, will cause the billet to move back over the path that it has already traversed, until its end strikes the guide roll 24. (See dotted line position, Fig. 2). lVhen the billet strikes the guide roll 24, its front end is directed upwardly onto the returning roll 21. The billet f is thus carried upward onto the returning rolls 21 and 22, and is thereby directed into the upper pass rl, between the roughing rolls A and A3. thereby making its second pass.

After being` carried through the upper pass a, between the roughing rolls fr and A3, the billet f is received upon a transferring device 26 (Figs. 1, 3 and 4). This transferring device consists of a plurality of feet 27. which are-secured, by bolts 28, in transverse grooves 29 formed in a plurality of shelves 30, one of which shelves is disposed between each pair of the feed-rolls 10. The connection of the feet 27 with the kand a giiide. portion .a vertical guide portion As the billet emerges from the upper pass t beta een the roughing rolls el and A3, having made its second pass, its front end p comes upon the shelf portion 33 of the transferring device 26, as shown in full lines in Fig. 4. The shelf portion 33 is less in width than one-half the width of the billet f; so that when the billet has become freed rom the roughing rolls, it will fall into the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4, and will thence slide down the slidewayportion onto the feed rolls 10. The billet is thus transferred from the plane of the upper passes of the roughing rolls to the plane of the lower passes of the latter. The upright web 31 of the transferring device 26 a soserves as a guide for properly directing the billet, prior to its lower pass o.

A`Upon nilling from the transferring device 26 onto the feed rolls 10, the billet is fed forward by these continuously rotating` rolls, and is thus directed into the lower pass between the roughing rolls A and A2. Upon being carried through the rolls, thus making its third pass, 'the billet again rides up 'the forwarding rolls 12, 13 and 14, overbalances, falls upon the returning rolls 15, 16 and 17, and strikes a second resilient buffer 35 on the table 18, the buer 35 being situated farther backv than the buffer 20, to allow-for the increased length of ythe billet. rhe buffer 35 gives a returning impulse to the billet, which latter is then carried backward by the returning rolls 15, 16 and 17 onto `the returning rolls 21 and 22, which latter feed the billet into the upper pass b, between the roughing rolls A and A3."

Upon emerging from the. rolls, having thus made its fourth pass, the billet comes onto a. transferring device 26a, which is of a similar construction to the transferring device 26, and includes upright web 31a, a slideway-poi-tion 32a, a. shelf portion, 33, The transferring device 26n is longer than the 'transferring device 26, to accommodate the increased length of the billet. 1n the manner which hasbeen described above in connection with the transferring device 26, the billet is again transferred to the feed rolls 10. The web portion 3la of the transferring device 26a. forms a guide for properly directing the billet, in its third pass, into the lower pass l). Likewise, the guide portion 34a of the transferring device 26a operates as a guide for the billet first pass, into the 22 present the billet to during its emergence, on its second pass, from the upper pass a.

Upon the billet f being delivered, by the transferring device 26a, to the continuously rotating feed rolls 10,- itis fed, by these rolls, to the lower pass c, between the roughing rolls A and A2. The billet is carried through the rolls, thus making its fifth pass. Although still referred to, for convenience, as a billet, the metal hasnow assumed the shape of an elongated and relatively thin sheet. The billet, in this form, does not have the stiffness which it had in its original shorter form; and it is not desirable further solely to rely `upon its mere lying on the f0rwarding and returning rolls for effecting its forwarding and return movement. For greater certainty of action, therefore, pinchrolls are provided for moving the billet after the same has emerged from its fifth pass.

The pinch-rolls associated ing rolls are shown in Fig. of rolls 36 and 37, mounted one at each end of a balance arm 38. The balance arm 3S is rockably mounted, at its center, on a shaft 39 carriedby a stand 40 suitably mounted on the main structure.

with the rough- 2. They consist Suitable mechanical means consisting of a steam cylinder havingr'4 a slide valve 45 and piston 46 and suitable pinch-rolls to cause billet.

Upon the billet engagement withthe- `billet reaches the pinch-roll 36, the rocking mechanism is operated to cause the pinchroll 37 to'descend upon the billet and hold it firmly against the returning roll 16. When this happens, the returning roll 16, having the billet thus firmly clamped against it, will cause the latter to move in the opposite direction and be carried up onto the returning rolls 21 and 22. The returning rolls 2l and the upper pass c, between the roughing rolls A' and A3, between which rolls it is carried, thereby completing its sixth pass.

As the billet emerges from the upper pass 0, between the roughing rolls A and A it 1s received upon a table 50, Ithe, latter belng 130 The billet is car? thereby making its y connections are provided for rockinggthe 1 f being'transferredpfromI f'j the transferring device 26B, to the'fcon-r lot tinuously rotating feed rolls 10, theselatterl supported upon the ends of a plurality of transverse rails l. These rails 5l are carried by a pair of I-beams 52, supported by the main structure. The table 50 is provided 5 along its edge with an upright guide 53, which serves to guide the billet as it comes out from the upper pass c, and also serves to guide the opposite edge of the billet as it comes out from the upper pass l) on completing its fourth pass.

lVhen the billet reaches the table 50, the operations upon itI have been completed, so far as the roughing rolls are concerned. The billet has the form of an elongated, relativelyy thin strip, which, being white hot, is quite tlexible. The operations of the roughing rolls have been described as consisting of six passes. However, this may be varied. For instance, only four passes may be used, the billet being carried twice to and fro between the roughing rolls. vVhen only four passes are used, the pinch-rolls will ordinarily be. employed prior` to the fourth pass.

The rails 5l extend across the machine from the roughing rolls A to the strand rolls B. These rails terminate in downwardly inclined portions 54, forming a sloping surface, the lower ends of these downwardly inclined portions 54:v terminating at a feed table 55 placed in the front of the strand rolls B. Cxtending diagonally across one side of the machine, at the end of the receiving table 50, is a plate 56 having, at its outer edge, an upwardly -extending guide 57. After the billet has come out onto the receiving table 50, from the upper pass c of the roughing rolls, it is manually pulled across the rails 51 and allowed to slide down the slope 'formed by the inclined portions 54. In this way the billet is brought onto the feed table 55 for the stiand rolls. The inclined guide wall 57 of the plate 56 assists in this transfer'.

A longitudinal guide 5l"1 is provided upon the feed table, 55, and is placed in such a position that when the billet is pulled against it, the billet will be in proper position forl entering the lower pass between the strand rolls it and B2. The top surface of a feed roll 5S extends through the :feed table 55, ,this feed roll rotating in suoli a direction as to cause the billet to be moved toward the strand rolls. lVith the feed roll 58 coperates a pinch-roll which is moved down, to press the billet against the roll 5S, as soon as the billet is brought into position upon the feed table 55. rAs soon as the billet has been brought upon the feed table 55, and the pinch roll 5t) has been operated. to force the billet into closel engagement with the feed roll 58, this` latter roll causes the billet to move forward into the lower pass rl, between the strand rolls B and B2. The billet is then carried through these strand rolls, thus effecting the seventh pass.

Upon being carried tnrougn tne lower pass d Of the strand rolls, the billet emerges upon an upwardly inclined table 60. Beyond the end of the table 60 there are provided a forwarding roll 6:2 and a pair of returning rolls 63 and 6i; With the forwarding roll 6'2 and the returning roll G-t coperate a pair of pinch-rolls 65 and 66, the same being mounted upon a balance arm GT, which is operated by a device which is similar to the device described in connection with pinch-rolls 86 and 37, the saine being controlled by an operating lever 68, placed beside the operating lever -ltl so that the same workman canfk attend to the operation of both levers. llingedly connected with a transverse\\shelf 69 connected across the uprights of the frame work of the strand rolls B is a chute plate 70. This chute plate is flared outwardly` from its upper to its lower end and is provided with upwardly extending side members T1, thereby properly to receive the billet, in the return movement of the latter, and direct it to the upper pass (Z between the strand rolls B and B3. Likewise the table 60 is provided with an upright guide 72 for directing the billet properly to and from the pinch rolls.

As the billet comes out onto the table 60, and as soon as its end reaches the forwarding rolls 62, the workman operates the lever 68 in such a way as to cause the pinch roll 65 to descend upon the billet and grip it firmly against the forwarding roll 62. In coming to the forwuirding roll 6'2. the billet forces its way under the chute plate 70, lifting the latter somewhat about its pivot, in

its hinged connection with plate or shelf j (it). When the rear end of the billet has passed beyond the end of the chute plate 70, the workman operates the lever 68 in such a way as to cause the pinch roll 66 to grip the. billet against the returning roll 64, whereby a reversal of the direction of movement otv the billet is eti'ected.` Upon this reversal of movement taking place, the billet. travels back again down theitable 61, but` when moving in the new direction, its end rides up the chute plate 70 and is thereb v directed to the upper pass d between the strand rolls B and B3. The billet is then carried through these strand rolls, thereby effecting its eighth pass. v

In order to permit the second pair of passes e to be used in lace of the rst pair ot' passes d, when tl'; latter become worn, the chute plate 70 is mounted upon the support 69, in such a manner that it can be easily moved from one side of such support,

e of the strand rolls. The guides 5Ta and 72 are likewise movable; and the pinch rolls 65 and 66` are wide enoughto accommodate the billet through whichever pair of passes it is being carried. When the passes d become worn, all that is necessary is to shift the guides 57a and 72, and move the chute plate 70 to the other side of the support 69.

As the billet emerges from the upper pass Z of the strand rolls, it comes upon a table 73 which extends diagonally across the machine from a position in line with the strand rolls to a position in line with the finishing rolls C. This table is of a sectional nature and is provided with a vertical guide ange 74 along its inner edge. Extending from the table 73 are transverse rails 75, terminating in inclined portions 7G, these rails being of a similar nature to the rails 51, with their inclined portions 54, described above. The inclined portions 76 of the rails 75 terminate upon a feed table 77 which is disposed in alinement with the finishing rolls C.

Uponlthe billet, now in the form of a. very long and very thin plate, emerging from the upper pass (l onto the table 73 it is manually pulled across the rails 75 and down the inclined portions 76, onto the feed table 77. The upper surface of the feed roll 58 projects through the table 77 in the same way as it projects through the table 55, and with this feed roll coperates a pinch roll 78, which may be brought down into engagement with the billet to press the latter against the feed roll. When the pinch roll 78 is thus brought into engagement with the billet, the feed roll moves the billet forward between the finishing rolls C, through which it is carried, thus making the ninth pass. Upon emerging from the finishing rolls C, fthe billet comes upon a roller table 79, from which it is carried to a suitable shearing device.

The means for operatingthe pinch rolls 59 and 78 is as follows: The pinch roll 78 is mounted upon an arm 80, carried by a rockable shaft connected by suitable steam operating mechanism 81 with a lever 8'?.

The pinch roll 59 is operated by a suitable mechanism and is connected to a levex` 83.

The rolling mill described above is particularly advantageous in that it permlts of a continuous movement of the billet from the time the latter is placed onto the original vfeed rolls until after it passes the finishing rolls. Special elevating devices, requiring to be operated individually for each billet, for lifting the billet from the plane of the lower rolls to the plane of the upper rolls,

are done away with; and in this waythe speed at which the machine can operate is grep/tly increased. Likewise, the necessityof personal supervislon atthe various stages of the operation is considerably reduced. A

further advantage of the device is that the` jolting of the billets, especially at the times 05 when Agrey fall from the upper plane to the lower plane, owing to the action of the transferring devices 26 Land 26a results in a loosen ing of the scale permitting the scale to fall away from the blllets to a large extent.

Having thus fully ,described our inven-70- tion, what we claim as new and desire to lsecure by Letters Patent is l. A rolling mill comprising a set of rolls arranged so as to present a plurality of passes, some of said passes being above other of said passes, and a transferring device for bringing the article being rolled from an upper pass to a lower pass, said transferring device comprising a shelf of less width than the article being rolled, whereby, when said article cornes upon said shelf, it falls therefrom after being released by said rolls.

2. A rolling mill comprising a set of rolls arranged so as to present a plurality of passes, some of said passes being above other of said passes, and a transferring device for bringing the article being rolled from the plane of an upper pass to the plane of a lower pass, said transferring device comprising a; shelf of less width than the article being rolled and an inclined portion depending from said shelf, for the purposes set forth.

3. A rolling mill comprising a set of roll's{. disposed so as to present a plurality of .Q passes, some of said passes being above other of said passes, a transferring device' for bringing the article being rolled from the plane of an upper pass to the plane of a lower pass, said transferring device including a shelf ofless Width than the article bein rolled, and feed rolls for receiving sai article from said transferring device.

4. A rolling mill comprising a set of rolls arranged so as to present a plurality of passes, some of said passes being above other of said passses, a transferring device for moving the article being rolled from the plane of an upper pass to the plane of a lower pass, said transferring device including a shelf of less width than the article being rolled, and an inclined ortion depen`ding from said shelf and a 'eed roll for receiving said article from said transferring device.

5. In a rolling mill having rolls arranged v so as to present a plurality of passes, somo of 1215l said passes being above other of said passes,

a transferring device for bringing the article being rolled from an upper pass to a lower pass, said transferring device comprising va shelf portion having a. verticalguide portion, and an ined slideWay-portion depending from shelf.

7. In aroling niill,an adjustably mounted transferring device for bringing the article being rolled from the upper pass to the lower pass, said device comprising a shelf portion having a guide portion thereon, a

slidcway portion depending from said shelf7` and a base portion.

8. A transferring device for rolling mills comprising a shelf portion, a vertical guide portion, an inclined slideway-portion depending from said shelf, and a 'base portion, all of said parts being integral.

In testimony whereof, We, the said -WIL- ,15 LIAM J. HAMPTON and VILLIAM H. RITTS, have hereunto set our hands.

vVILLIAll/I J. HAMPTON. VLLAM H. RTTS.

Witnesses:

EDWARD EVANS, N. C. RUNGE,

L. L. Minox, Jr., A. D. CADENHED. 

